Column-shaped display device for parallelepipedic articles

ABSTRACT

A display stand including a unitary body of plastics material having a base, and an upright stand body comprising a plurality of substantially parallel zigzag strips connected together by transverse partitions which lie substantially parallel to the edges of the strips so as to form two series of pockets the openings of each series of pockets being directed toward a respective major face of the stand, and the body of the stand being surmounted by a plate having a central aperture and being shaped at the ends to receive respective plates in the form of circular sectors which are detachably mountable on the plate so as to be disposed coplanarly with the outer strips.

[ 51 Feb. 11,1975

1 1 COLUMN-SHAPED DISPLAY DEVICE FOR PARALLELEPIPEDIC ARTICLES [75] Inventor: Ettore Neglia, San Giorgio Canavese, ltaly [73] Assignee: P. Ferrero & C. S.p.A., Alba (Cumeo), Israel [22] Filed: July 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.2 383,211

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,674,377 4/1954 Davidson 211/72 3,123,207 3/1964 Goldstein 211/72 X D2l9,4l2 12/1970 Neglia D6/2O Primary Examiner--Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Abraham Frankel Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & MacPeak [57] ABSTRACT A display stand including a unitary body of plastics material having a base, and an upright stand body comprising a plurality of substantially parallel zigzag strips connected together by transverse partitions which lie substantially parallel to the edges of the strips so as to form two series of pockets the openings of each series of pockets being directed toward a respective major face of the stand, and the body of the stand being surmounted by a plate having a central aperture and being shaped at the ends to receive respective plates in the form of circular sectors which are detachably mountable on the plate so as to be disposed coplanarly with the outer strips.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTH] FEB] H975 SHEET 1 BF 3 COLUMN-SHAPED DISPLAY DEVICE FOR PARALLELEPIPEDIC ARTICLES The present invention relates to a display stand for parallelepiped products or products packed in rectangular containers which is particularly suitable for relatively flat containers for confectionery, and which is of simple and strong construction. Display stands formed as embodiments of the invention are capable of holding products packed in rectangular packages in a way that permits the ready selection by a purchaser of the goods displayed.

According to the present invention a display stand is characterised in that it has a unitary body of plastics material having a base and an upright stand body comprising a plurality of substantially parallel zigzag strips connected together by transverse partitions which lie substantially parallel to the edges of the strips so as to form two series of pockets the openings of each series of pockets being directed toward a respective major face of the stand, and the body of the stand being surmounted by a plate having a central aperture and being shaped at the ends to receive respective plates in the form of circular sectors which are detachably mountable on the plate so as to be disposed coplanarly with the outer strips.

One embodiment of the invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa display stand for parallelepiped products;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the display stand shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the display stand shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the display stand of FIG. 1, taken so the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the display stand shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the display stand of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse section of one of the sector plates of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken on the line Vll--Vll of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings the display stand comprises primarily a unitary plastics material body mounted on a lower base 1 which is a substantially rectangular plate and has downwardly extending peripheral flanges at the edges thereof. Upwardly from the centre of the plate 1 projects a foot 2 of a moulded columnar stand body generally indicated 3.

The stand body 3 comprises a plurality of identical upright strips 5 parallel to one another and having a zig zag shape, and two narrower outer strips 4, also of corresponding zigzag form, aligned with respect to the central strips 5. The outer strips 4 and the innerstrips 5 are connected together by transverse partitions 6, 7 which are symmetrically inclined and parallel to different parts of the strips 4, 5 so as to form two groups of pockets which are closed at the base and the openings of which lie at the two opposite major faces of the stand. The pockets are all inclined in conformity with the alternate sections of the strips.

The abovementioned pockets are intended to receive rectangular boxes, such as the box shown at A in FIG. 4 which contain confectionary. Preferably the container boxes and display stands are made complementarily so that the sizes are so arranged that a slight force is required to insert a box into a pocket, the partitions 6, 7 being slightly narrowed in form. This means that it is necessary for the products to be displayed to be fitted carefully into the pockets.

The pockets on each face all slope in the same direction and are arranged in horizontal rows staggered with respect to adjacent rows. The outer lateral strips 4 have recesses 4a and 4b which allow better visibility of the products placed in the corresponding pockets.

The foot 2 which connects the main body 3 of the display stand to the base 1 thereof is constituted in part by the extension of two of the intermediate strips 5.

The main body 3 is surmounted by an intermediate transverse vertical plate 8 having a moulded profile and a rectangular aperture 9 enabling utilization of the plate as a handle to lift and transport the display stand. The plate 8 is supported on two of the central strips 5 by triangular buttresses 10.

The outer lateral edges of the transverse plate 8 each have at the top, a moulded notch 11 and at the bottom a pair of transverse projections 12 the lower faces of which are inclined planes. The above mentioned notches 11 and projections 12 allow the detachable fitting of two plates 13, in the form of circular sectors, which can be mounted on the stand for aesthetic and advertising purposes. Each plate 13 has on one face an elongate upright projection 14 in which there is formed at the top a bridging element forming a socket 15 (see particularly FIG. 7) which can be engaged with one of the notches 11 of the lateral edges of the plate 8. The elongate projection 14 also has, at the end remote from the socket 15, two notches 16 engageable with the projections 12 of the central plate 8 to hold the sector plate 13 in a substantially vertical position on the plate 8.

When the display stand is set up and ready for use the products A to be displayed project symmetrically from the two major faces of the main body of the display stand and can be extracted readily from the pockets in which they are lodged.

It will be appreciated that the effects of the present invention extend to other embodiments fulfilling the same purpose and using the same inventive concept.

What we claim is:

l. A display stand comprising a unitary body of plastic material including oppositely base portion and an upright stand portion, said stand portion comprising a plurality of substantially parallel zig-zag strips connected together by transverse partitions which lie substantially parallel to the edges of the strips so as to form two series of pockets, the openings in each series of pockets being directed toward a respective major face of the stand, a vertically disposed upper plate mounted on the top of said stand portion extending transversly of said strips, a pair of circular sector plates and interfitting connecting means for detachably mounting said sector plates on the respective lateral edges of said upper plate so that each sector plate is disposed coplanarly with a respective outer strip, said connecting means comprising a notch in the upper portion of each lateral edge of said upper plate, a pair of oppositedly directed projections extending perpendicular to said plate at the lower portion of each lateral edge of said upper plate and projection means on each of said sector plates being shaped to form a cavity and two lower notches engageable respectively with said notch and said pair of projections situated upon each of the two lateral edges of said upper plate.

WMM.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIETTFTCATE 0F CORREQTTON a PATENT NO. 3, 865, 247

DATED February 11, 1975 INVENTORtiS) Ettore NEGLIA it is certrfied that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent q are hereby corrected as shown below:

IN THE HEADING:

Under Assignees address delete "Israel" and insert Italy flirted an rated this fifth Day of August 1975 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN .illtsling Offit" (mnmissinnvr uj'lalcms and Trademarksr r r 

1. A display stand comprising a unitary body of plastic material including oppositely base portion and an upright stand portion, said stand portion comprising a plurality of substantially parallel zig-zag strips connected together by transverse partitions which lie substantially parallel to the edges of the strips so as to form two series of pockets, the openings in each series of pockets being directed toward a respective major face of the stand, a vertically disposed upper plate mounted on the top of said stand portion extending transversly of said strips, a pair of circular sector plates and interfitting connecting means for detachably mounting said sector plates on the respective lateral edges of said upper plate so that each sector plate is disposed coplanarly with a respective outer strip, said connecting means comprising a notch in the upper portion of each lateral edge of said upper plate, a pair of oppositedly directed projections extending perpendicular to said plate at the lower portion of each lateral edge of said upper plate and projection means on each of said sector plates being shaped to form a cavity and Two lower notches engageable respectively with said notch and said pair of projections situated upon each of the two lateral edges of said upper plate. 